Amended  IN  Assembly  March 28, 2025

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill
No. 1127

Introduced by Assembly Member Gabriel Members Gabriel and Stefani
(Principal coauthors: Assembly Members Gipson and Wicks)
(Coauthor: Assembly Member Mark González)

February 20, 2025

An act relating to firearms. An act to amend Section 3273.50 of the Civil Code, and to amend Section 16880 of, and to add Sections 16415, 17015, and 27595 to, the Penal Code, relating to firearms.


LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


AB 1127, as amended, Gabriel. Firearms: converter attachments. pistols.
Existing law prohibits any person from selling, leasing, or transferring any firearm unless the person is licensed as a firearms dealer, as specified. Existing law prescribes certain requirements and prohibitions for licensed firearms dealers. A violation of any of these requirements or prohibitions is grounds for forfeiture of a firearms dealer’s license. For purposes of these provisions, existing law defines “machinegun” to mean, among other definitions, any weapon that shoots or is designed to shoot automatically more than one shot, without manual reloading, by a single function of the trigger.
This bill would prohibit a licensed firearms dealer to sell, offer for sale, exchange, give, transfer, or deliver any semiautomatic convertible pistol, except as specified. For these purposes, the bill would define “convertible pistol” as any semiautomatic pistol that can be converted into a machinegun solely by the installation or attachment of a pistol converter and “pistol converter” as any device or instrument that when installed in or attached to the slide of a semiautomatic pistol interferes with the trigger mechanism and thereby enables the pistol to discharge a number of shots or bullets rapidly or automatically with one continuous pull of the trigger. The bill would make a violation of these provisions punishable by a fine, a 2nd violation punishable by a fine that may result in a revocation of the dealer’s license, and a 3rd violation punishable as a misdemeanor that shall result in the revocation of the dealer’s license.
Existing law prohibits the manufacture, sale, possession, or transportation of a machinegun, except as authorized. A violation of these prohibitions is punishable as a felony.
This bill would expand the above definition of “machinegun” to include any convertible pistol equipped with a pistol converter and, thus, prohibit the manufacture, sale, possession, or transportation of a convertible pistol equipped with a pistol converter.
By creating a new crime and expanding the application of an existing crime, this bill would create a state-mandated local program.
The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.
This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.

Existing law defines a machine gun as any weapon that shoots, is designed to shoot, or can readily be restored to shoot, automatically more than one shot, without manual reloading, by a single function of the trigger. Existing law prohibits, among other things, the conversion of a firearm into a machine gun. A violation of this prohibition is punishable as a felony.

This bill would state the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation regarding semi-automatic firearms that can be converted into automatic firearms by a converter attachment.

Vote: MAJORITY   Appropriation: NO   Fiscal Committee: NOYES   Local Program: NOYES  

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:


SECTION 1.

 Section 3273.50 of the Civil Code is amended to read:

3273.50.
 As used in this title, the following definitions apply:
(a) “Ammunition” has the same meaning as provided in subdivision (b) of Section 16150 of the Penal Code.
(b) “Firearm” has the same meaning as provided in subdivisions (a) and (b) of Section 16520 of the Penal Code.
(c) “Firearm accessory” means an attachment or device designed or adapted to be inserted into, affixed onto, or used in conjunction with a firearm that is designed, intended, or functions to alter or enhance the firing capabilities of a firearm, the lethality of the firearm, or a shooter’s ability to hold and use a firearm.
(d) “Firearm-related product” means a firearm, ammunition, a firearm precursor part, a firearm component, firearm manufacturing machine, and a firearm accessory that meets any of the following conditions:
(1) The item is sold, made, or distributed in California.
(2) The item is intended to be sold or distributed in California.
(3) The item is or was possessed in California and it was reasonably foreseeable that the item would be possessed in California.
(e) “Firearm precursor part” has the same meaning as provided in Section 16531 of the Penal Code.
(f) “Firearm industry member” shall mean a person, firm, corporation, company, partnership, society, joint stock company, or any other entity or association engaged in the manufacture, distribution, importation, marketing, wholesale sale, or retail sale of firearm-related products.
(g) “Firearm manufacturing machine” means a three-dimensional printer, as defined in Section 29185 of the Penal Code, or CNC milling machine that, as described in that section, is marketed or sold as, or reasonably designed or intended to be used to manufacture or produce a firearm.
(h) “Reasonable controls” means reasonable procedures, acts, or practices that are designed, implemented, and enforced to do the following:
(1) Prevent the sale or distribution of a firearm-related product to a straw purchaser, a firearm trafficker, a person prohibited from possessing a firearm under state or federal law, or a person who the firearm industry member has reasonable cause to believe is at substantial risk of using a firearm-related product to harm themselves or another or of possessing or using a firearm-related product unlawfully.
(2) Prevent the loss or theft of a firearm-related product from the firearm industry member.
(3) Ensure that the firearm industry member complies with all provisions of California and federal law and does not otherwise promote the unlawful manufacture, sale, possession, marketing, or use of a firearm-related product.
(4) Prevent the installation and use of a pistol converter, as defined in Section 17015 of the Penal Code, with a firearm.

SEC. 2.

 Section 16415 is added to the Penal Code, to read:

16415.
 As used in this part, “convertible pistol” means any semiautomatic pistol that can be converted into a machinegun solely by the installation or attachment of a pistol converter.

SEC. 3.

 Section 16880 of the Penal Code is amended to read:

16880.
 (a) As used in this part, “machinegun” means any weapon that shoots, is designed to shoot, or can readily be restored to shoot, automatically more than one shot, without manual reloading, by a single function of the trigger.
(b) The term “machinegun” also includes the frame or receiver of any weapon described in subdivision (a), any part designed and intended solely and exclusively, or combination of parts designed and intended, for use in converting a weapon into a machinegun, and any combination of parts from which a machinegun can be assembled if those parts are in the possession or under the control of a person.
(c) The term “machinegun” also includes any weapon deemed by the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives as readily convertible to a machinegun under Chapter 53 (commencing with Section 5801) of Title 26 of the United States Code.
(d) The term “machinegun” also includes any convertible pistol equipped with a pistol converter, as defined in Section 17015.

SEC. 4.

 Section 17015 is added to the Penal Code, to read:

17015.
 “Pistol converter” means any device or instrument that when installed in or attached to the slide of a semiautomatic pistol interferes with the trigger mechanism and thereby enables the pistol to discharge a number of shots or bullets rapidly or automatically with one continuous pull of the trigger.

SEC. 5.

 Section 27595 is added to the Penal Code, to read:

27595.
 (a) (1) Commencing on January 1, 2026, it shall be unlawful for a firearms dealer licensed pursuant to Sections 26700 to 26920, inclusive, to sell, offer for sale, exchange, give, transfer, or deliver any semiautomatic convertible pistol.
(2) A dealer shall be in compliance with this section if the dealer relies in good faith on a written certification made by the pistol’s manufacturer or the Department of Justice that the pistol is not a convertible pistol, as defined in Section 16415.
(b) (1) A violation of subdivision (a) shall be punishable by a fine of not more than one thousand dollars ($1,000).
(2) A second violation of subdivision (a) shall be punishable by a fine of not more than five thousand dollars ($5,000) and may result in the revocation of the dealer’s license issued under Sections 26700 to 26920, inclusive.
(3) A third violation of subdivision (a) is a misdemeanor and shall result in the revocation of the dealer’s license issued under Sections 26700 to 26920, inclusive.
(c) This section shall not apply to any of the following:
(1) A convertible pistol manufactured or delivered to a firearms dealer prior to January 1, 2026.
(2) The sale of a convertible pistol to a police department, sheriff’s office, marshal’s office, district attorney’s office, the California Highway Patrol, the Department of Justice, the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, or the military or naval forces of this state or of the United States for use in the discharge of their official duties.
(3) A private party to private party transaction conducted through a licensed firearms dealer pursuant to Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 28050).

SEC. 6.

 No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution because the only costs that may be incurred by a local agency or school district will be incurred because this act creates a new crime or infraction, eliminates a crime or infraction, or changes the penalty for a crime or infraction, within the meaning of Section 17556 of the Government Code, or changes the definition of a crime within the meaning of Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution.
SECTION 1.

It is the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation regarding semi-automatic firearms that can be converted into automatic firearms by a converter attachment.